You are the interviewer

A couple of weeks ago, readers expressed interest in seeing me interviewed, with suggested questions including 'where do you store everything', 'is a blog sustainable' and 'do you have any regrets about reviews'.

I thought about this, and I think readers would actually make the best interviewers.

Many people have interviewed me over the years and the questions are pretty similar - how I started, what my first suit was, what I think of the future of tailoring etc.

Readers know me better than any interviewer, and have more interesting questions.

So, if you don't mind, I'd like you to submit questions to be answered. I'll pick what seem like the most interesting 15, and answer them.

If you had to create a small capsule wardrobe from your vast collection what would it look like? Or an alternative question on the same lines would be – If I took away your entire wardrobe and asked you to start from scratch again, knowing what you know.. what would you buy first to create a capsule wardrobe?

Its not a question as such, but I’d also add that I’m sure everyone would love it if the interview featured pictures of your wardrobe(s), shoe rack etc. There is a certain geekiness in building a classic collection of clothes, and I’m sure everyone would love to see what they are ultimately aspiring to.

I think that ‘is a blog sustainable’ and ‘do you have any regrets about reviews’ are very interesting questions. I would add: – What are the things you would NOT buy again if your whole wardrobe suddenly disappers? – Do you think that travelling to Naples, Rome, Milan, and Paris for fittings is worth it and would you do it if you was not a bloger?

I see that a lot of readers ask about your top items for a capsule wardrobe, but I think this is too individual to be useful. A minimalistic wardrobe depends too much on the individual lifestyle and location. This would be a topic for a separate article.

Something on building a business wardrobe would be very helpful, as would any pieces on curating a collection from scratch. Your posts on shoes and Neapolitan tailoring were especially good, possibly with the minor caveat that it may be better to put things in the order that you would buy them if you were doing it again – mentioning what you would omit.

The navy cashmere & hopsack came later down the list on the Neapolitan post, presumably because you already owned a navy blazer of a different cut, whereas someone starting from scratch would probably want one of those two in his starting 2-3. Likewise, I’m sure your Cifonelli and Camps de Luca would take precedence over the old Graham Brownes now.

A series like that would also save your interview post being clogged up by annoying capsule questions by the likes of me haha.

As a husband and future father, I would like to address a more personal aspect of the industry – work/life balance.

As a father and husband yourself, how do you find a proper work/life balance as your role in the industry becomes more valuable and desired? I may be mistaken, but I thought I remembered that you had another job in the finance industry. Thus, working in two industries and being a family man must come with certain time management challenges.

If possible, could you address how you budget your time and maintain a level of sanity?

Ooh I have whole bunch of questions Simon! First off, when you first started getting acquainted with dressing better (I don’t quite know how the journey started for you), did you ever go overboard into full peacock (conspicuously and exaggeratedly overdressed) territory? Also, do you like Opera? What’s your favorite one? Or are you a more rock n’ roll or blues kind of person? What’s your favorite piece of music or favorite artist in that category? Looking forward to the interview!!

You own pieces from most (known) bespoke houses in the world, you have tried countless styles, you own more bespoke clothes than any normal guy will ever own, you have tried luxury, affordable, the value-for-money and the rip-off, every single well-dressed man knows you and you are an accomplished writer, and even modern reporter, of the style from our times. Whats missing?? Another review? Yet another jacket, an other suit? Answering another senseless question about “You say its good, but for that price wouldnt it be better to stick with XXXX?” So my question again is: Whats next?

I think I’ve seen a bits and pieces about it (still newer reader) but some thoughts on your preferred grooming products would be great. I have a hard time finding comprehensive thoughts on nicer men’s skincare products generally. Would be great to have some insight into some of your favorites.

You have children and I presume that you follow /followed them to and from school and kindergarten. Following children to school/kindergarten includes carrying loades of stuff, especially dirty and muddy clothes, backpacks, bicycle helmets and you name it. On top of that your own ballast, lap top etc. If it rains add handling an umbrella. This means that when you have left the children and finally enters the bus or train to work, you are glad if you have managed to keep the shoes and clothes in shape and not stained, and not having too big dark spots under your arms. I know you usually bike, but if you’re not, how do you deal with this situation, especially if you are off to a meeting the first thing when you arrive at work? I usually tend to compromise by not using my best shoes and choosing clothes that do not show stains (rough flannels and herringbone usually saves me) and keeping the better shoes and clothing at office, but this is by no means ideal.

How do you develop and refine your story “pipeline” – is there a long term master plan or more of a monthly or seasonal plan?

Could you elaborate, to the extent you are comfortable, on the revenue model for your blog – advertisements only, appearance fees, you’ve received discounts, but have you been paid to write or wear anything? Not actual figures, just a bit more clarity.

Something we all deal with to some extent – fitness and changes in weight/fit of clothes – what do you do to keep fit/stay the same size, what, if anything has changed for you in this area since you started the blog?

What tailor have you not worked with that you are most excited about trying?

Oooh I have one! Paying attention to detail is an exhausting exercise! Over the years you must have formulated a top 5-10 point checklist for clothing items such as pants, shirts, blazers, ties etc that have to meet a certain criteria (10 may seem excessive but we are talking about you and well details.) What is that checklist? I would also like to add your site remains an invaluable source for women as well. As mentioned before I am building my husband’s wardrobe and your website is my reference guide. Period.

I’m afraid I can’t answer very accurately there Adam – I haven’t worn off the peg shirts for years, largely because I can get bespoke for almost the same price (eg Simone Abbarchi). Shirts also change regularly at brands in terms of quality and style, and it’s an area where there isn’t much to choose between them in terms of quality. More just fineness/luxury and cut/style.

Bouncing off the idea of “what is next”, how about “how to recognise and develop ones style over time”. Time is important as dressing well is an “investment” in money and requires time to achieve a wardrobe (for most of us). I should be interested to know how you feel your style has developed from your teens into adulthood and maturity. Is there a common thread… for example I have always loved shoes. I went from wearing Air Jordans to (for “best”) wearing English bespoke. Likewise are there themes that inspire you… old film, nature or flowers etc. D.T.

Where do you see your watch collection and its possible growth in relation to stylistic choices? Would you say you have a collection that is set in stone or do you see yourself making changes to match your sense of style (which I presume undergoes changes over periods of time)?

Which items in each major category (suits, sportcoats, ties, shirts, trousers, shoes, knitwear, outerwear) bring you the most pleasure to wear? This is somewhat the opposite of the “which one item is most versatile” question that others have already asked, in that I’m less curious about utility/versatility and more interested in subjective experience. After all the items you’ve tried and owned, which still bring you the most joy to wear, and why?

Dear Simon, I think it will be very handy if you will share some tips about how you keep fit. Because sometimes it is very challenging not to gain extra weight so yours clothing stop suit you. Thank you for incredible blog !

Great idea Simon… long overdue. High five to the reader that suggested it.

I have a few questions

1) How many Shirts, Ties, Jackets/Blazers/Sport Coats, Pochettes, Trousers, Belts/Braces(?) Suits and Shoes do you think you own and what would be the approximate value of it all, must be getting on for the 100’s of 1000’s by now surely?

2) How many Suits, Jackets, Trousers, Shirts and Shoes are a current work in process that you’re waiting to receive?

3) Where do you store/keep such a vast and extensive wardrobe, surely to God it doesn’t go in a big yellow storage type place?

4) What do you do with the older items that you’ve commissioned that perhaps aren’t to your taste or don’t fit you anymore – and the new pieces that you’ve commissioned which didn’t work out.

5) Would you ever sell any of the pieces you own. Ties, Jackets and Suits for example.

Do you have any experience with the American market? You have covered the UK, Spain, Italy, France, and Japan, but not the US. For your American readers, I am sure that (to the extent you have any experience with it) coverage of American companies and artisans would be much appreciated.

What would the Smart Bespoke Suit be like, meaning: retaining from bespoke tailoring only what really is necessary, allowing for an equivalent result but with shorter delays, lower price. As an example, not all of the stitching ought to be made/padded by hand,…

Hi Simon. I am very curious about your wardrobe room. Is it bespoke (i.e. made by a carpenter on your own specifications) ? It must have quite a size, so I don’t believe is just a (big) cupboard. Thank

Private clubs, much like bespoke clothing and the fine arts, represent the celebration and stylization of life as they condense and refine experience according to certain social and imaginative ideals.

To that end, which private Clubs of the world would make up your ideal ‘wardrobe’ of membership?

Completely agree Simon. That isn’t too say that there aren’t people in clubs who are comfortable there, but there are far too many who aspire to it. that being said, I do quite like coching in Whites reading the paper.

Some great questions here! Would definitely second the one about how your style has evolved over time (and why.) Recently it feels like there’s been more focus on casual pieces (or less businessey anyway) but perhaps that’s simply because business pieces are always going to be more limited in range so your collection is more “complete” now.

Related to that, I like the point about whether the blog is “sustainable” and have noticed that some once-prolific style writers have slowed down or even stopped in the last few years (e.g. Will Boehlke). Do you think there’s ever a logical end, or will there always be more to cover? Can you see yourself expanding your remit to cover broader lifestyle topics (as many female fashion bloggers seem to have done)?

As I write this, I struggle to fathom how you’d have the time, but I’d be interested to know other blogs, websites, publications you read that aren’t about the field of menswear.

Finally – this may be less relevant to you, as a family man – but I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on what to wear for a night out. I don’t mean for a nice dinner at a restaurant, but a night at a bar with friends. A jacket seems too much but it feels rather boring wearing a shirt like everybody else. Any standbys you might turn to? Sort of like a non-fashion person’s guide to looking a little bit more fashionable, while staying true to principles of tailored clothing. (Trigger warning: your answers might induce apoplexy among more conservative PS readers… ;D)

Very hard to comment/ ask a question because I can think of it, it’s probably already been asked, however, I will try a slightly different route aimed at you and sort of more aimed at Mrs Crompton.

For Mrs Crompton,

Simon is an expert in clothing, no argument, (sorry for the brown nosing). As Simon’s business is mainly about bespoke, which these days is not just for men but women too, have you considered doing a blog/joining/creating a sister blog on bespoke clothing for women?

Excellent idea Simon. It is such a good idea that 15 questions simply isn’t enough to satisfy the curiosity of your readers so please extend to more (45?) across 3 articles? A couple of questions.. – You have commissioned an excellent wardrobe (possibly one of the world’s best, certainly one of the most tasteful). Having assembled and covered the requirements for most eventualities what direction would you like to take on furthering this adventure into bespoke style? – There are many great figures in the history of tailoring, who do you think had the most influence on the subject? (Scholte, Hayward etc., or even Bond)? – Now that classic tailoring has been covered is it time to also look at other outdoor pursuits through Cordings, Grenfell, Barbour, Belstaff, Norton (SR – who used to specialise in ‘explorer’ wear). – The great Bunny Roger seems to have commissioned more bespoke than any other in his very unique, influential but eccentric style – what item would you like to commission, but won’t (due to the restraint of good taste). – Taking Roger’s lead what items would you like to commission to further develop a specific area (i.e. overcoats). – Accepting that Bruce Boyer may be first who else has been the most influential, helpful and supportive in helping you to develop your blog. Also who are you most grateful to? – Given your knowledge of style, clothing etc. have you considered an occassional foray into reviewing female bespoke…by extension do you influence your wife’s view on style (or vice-versa)? – If you were to work on the Row making what role would you choose (i.e. cuttter), or would you prefer to make bespoke shoes? – Do you ever, in weaker moment, venture forth in street style (high tops, athleisure, hoodie, carhartt jacket, trucker cap (a.k.a. flat cap).

This is a question I’ve always had for those with some position in the fashion industry who exhibits self-awareness. In advocating for a style on such a visible platform, one is constructing a strong identity for himself and attaching himself to a sympathetic community. Yet he doesn’t live merely in that community, but also others to which he presents himself in the clothing that he wears, others who do not share his values, who would scoff at his wardrobe. What’s your attitude toward the latter group and, as this previous question begs, toward dress in general? Is it a matter of self expression? Of social signaling? Of brand-building (profit)?

A more concrete prompt: would you ever throw on a jersey and some sneaks to attend a football match?

With the large following you have so expertly gathered through the blog and books and the success of the shop offerings and pop up shop, when are you giving up the day job to concentrate full time on your great passion for style?

Perhaps this, Simon: in what proportions do different sources of inspiration (well-dressed men you admire, your childhood, contemporary and pop culture, and so on) influence your sartorial choices? How do these influences (if any) manifest in your decisions?

1. What car illustrates your style best? I would like this question repeated in a twofold manner: car ever and car currently in production aka modern era.

2. Apart from actually having this blog, what is your reasoning for paying attention to your attire to his degree.

3. What gives? We only have so much time and money and you seem to be devoting a fair amount of both to tailored clothing. Do you think this is being done against another domain of your life? I.e. What other part of your life is getting less commitment because of the attention to tailored clothing.

I’d be interested in how you see the industry evolving over the next 10 years. It seems like we are living through a period of rapid change in the bespoke industry. Demand and supply for bespoke has been going through a long term decline in Europe but is exploding in Asia. The internet has allowed some artisans to develop cult followings almost over night while others eschew the medium almost entirely. The pace of trends in bespoke has accelerated (eg Neapolitan style suits was in fashion for at least 10 years, but now we see fads eg Gurka trousers, that last just 1 or 2 years) There is also an interesting trend in outsourcing where many MTM and even bespoke makers outsource part of the manufacturing process to workshops in India, China or Vietnam and some are achieving very good results. I’m curious as to what sort of industry you think we will be looking at in 10 years time.

+1 for Per’s question regarding kids etc. Secondly, how to look stylish without looking dandyesque and/or effimante? I love beautiful clothes, but work in a rather masculine environment where such traits are pretty much frowned upon. And in a similar vein, how to look stylish without looking pretentious? I’m neither a millionaire nor a country gent, but love the clothes some of them they wear. So how to avoid looking like a impostor?

Would you ever do a PS range that is affordable? Imagine the knowledge you could bring to a suit that cost £750 pounds. You could focus on the things that matter, and start to really democratize clothes.

It is obvious that you take an interest in social standards, for instance the sustainability of artisan’s workshops, working conditions for apprentices, room for innovative practices and the like. This has led you to defend (justly, I would think) the prices of high end tailoring from occasional critical commenters. You have also distanced yourself from cheap marketing techniques that put forward a distorted picture of gentlemanship, and try to be as transparant as possible about the funding of your excellent blog. This leads me wondering whether there are other, shall I say ethical considerations you take into account when commissioning/ordering clothing? Even if a minor point (as opposed fit, make, style etc), I would not be suprised if many readers nowadays care for such issues as the environment, animal welfare, human rights etc and do take these into account when choosing a certain tailor/house. Those readers may find it problematic that a Row tailor proudly shows that he has obtained a royal warrant from the King of Bahrain or will ask their tailor whether he knows if the cloth merchant or mill secures that no animals were harmed in the process.

This is a really interesting point. I wish there were more universal accreditations for ethically / sustainably sourced wool like there are for food. The PETA videos showing how sheep are treated during shearing are pretty horrific, and yet PETA’s only solution is to stop buying wool completely, which I don’t think is very helpful! I saw that Patagonia announced its own ethical standards for the wool it now uses, but something at the industry level is sorely lacking.

Although I’m hoping for your articles to continue for decades, when the time comes for you to take a step back, will there be plans to ‘hand over the reigns’ of PS to aspiring independent menswear blogger(s) or retire the blog also?

Ever since the post on your beautiful desk and a comment about a Scandinavian table in one of the Japanese shops you covered I became very interested to read more about your taste in and knowledge of furniture. The other topic would be jazz, not only the records but also the style in which the musicians dressed (Miles Davis´quintet with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter for example, or Coleman Hawkins)

– style gimmicks you stole from other gentlemen or who did/do you try to copy the most. – style rules you follow religiously. – sensations when you nail your outfit in the morning or sensations in general about dressing well (motivation, significance, meaning, advantages). – anecdotes of snobbism, vanity, arrogance, frivolity. – what do you expect when you meet another man for the first time? – why all this?

According to some online research a Huntsman bespoke suit in 1960 cost 91 pounds which is equivalent to about 1300 pounds today. Why then does a bespoke suit today cost almost 4x this amount. What factors have changed to account for such a disparate increase in price?

It would encompass lots of things like the prices of materials, of staff, and particularly of property. Plus the shrinking of the industry, which makes everything more expensive (rarity of staff, lower volumes)

I truly appreciate your work Simon- the pleasure is ours, your readers, and the education tremendous. At my age, 59 years, I am at this point a collector. Your work inspires me to travel to the UK and find some of the items your present.

After reading all the messages and questions below there is one question we must discuss and possibly investigate. What is the best or most proper way for us to approach insuring our wardrobes? Your 40 pair bespoke shoes, how could you replace those if a casualty of a fire? Insurance can be a grim subject and I am curious to your approach.

Maybe this is a separate post, but how you arrange your wardrobe would be an interesting thing to see. You mentioned in previous posts that you keep some clothes at the office, some at home and some in storage. You also previously shared your working desk where you write your posts. But what are your tipps on what to keep where? And how do you keep it stylish? It would be great to also get some pics of good ways of getting more out of the beauty of your clothes by keeping them in different places in a beautiful way.

Hi Simon, -How much importance on a scale of 1 to 10 do you place upon being dressed well (by that I mean you can generally assume tailored attire) and being a gentleman? 10 being of most importance? -Does being well dressed really “make the man”? a scale as above would be good to gauge your opinion. -What else do you think makes a man? again some sense of scale based on your opinion would be nice. Thanks. J

I’m often wondering what kind of impact your clothing/style is making socially – in your day job, on the street, and in other social contexts. Are you getting compliments? Do people think you’re a bit over the top? Do people even notice? Partly related to that question, I’m often wondering whether you’re actually wearing on a regular basis all the nice and sometimes very fancy suits you’re writing about on PS.

Hi Simon, Two (possibly boring) questions around the economics of style: 1. Bespoke-level quality is available from a tiny number of producers, and bought by a tiny number of consumers. What changes in behaviour on the part of producers and/or consumers might change this, and open it up to a wider consumer base? What role might technology play in this? 2. As you have commented before, few craftsmen make much money from their talents. And yet offerors of low-value retail bands can make out like bandits. This seems to me unjust. What changes do you think need to take place in society, in order for craftsmen to earn the rewards that their skill and dedication arguably merit? Thanks, Matthew

I can see an evolution in your style across the life of this blog, I’d like to hear how you think your style has changed through all the experiments you’ve made. I’d also like you to reflect on how your approach to dressing stylishly and appropriately has changed. Why did you choose certain tailors and cloths when you started and why have you changed your style over these years?

Is there anything that you secretly want but haven’t been able to bring yourself to commission (due to it being too flamboyant, expensive, wouldn’t get any use, you don’t have the he ne sais qoi to pull off etc)?? It’s easy to understand logical next steps of commissions, how a beautiful tweed catches your eye and you succumb etc. But what would be really interesting would be how and where you set your limits / parameters (if you do at all!)

1. If you could be a master practitioner of one craft out of all those you’ve written about, which one would it be and why? 2. Which piece of menswear would be a good analogy for yourself as a person? 3. What is the most unusual contrast that you’ve encountered between a person’s outfit and her/his personality?

I would love to hear your thoughts about womenswear – how does a woman dress beautifully; not in high fashion or in the current trends, without looking frumpy or staid? I suppose what I’m after is the women’s version of what you show here. Also, I would love to read an interview with your wife!

Hello Simon, I wonder whether you think that new technology (e.g 3D printing) could soon challenge traditional bespoke tailoring in terms of fit, quality and price? Would you give up the romance of hand-made suits, if machine manufacture could give you a better fitting garment? Thanks!

More of a suggestion than a question, but why not make an AMA¹ on reddit? It’s simple to register and make it happen, although it would take some of your time to answer what shows up. It’s got a pretty active community.

¹Ask Me Anything. People ranging from anonymous specialists to celebrities do these.

Since clothes questions have been very much covered by others, I’ll try something else. Favourite media? For music: analog or digital and what is your setup for listening (if any)? Any interest in videogames?

Would you consider trying MTM from say Cesare Attolini or Orazio Luciano, or is timing (which I assume would be one of the key differences from such high end MTM) not enough of an issue for you, that you’d rather spend the money on bespoke?

Is it true that many bespoke/made-in-London MTM offerings from Savile Row are actually manufactured by independent tailors in Soho? Can we therefore get the same quality by going direct to Soho businesses, or do the Savile row firms have unique access to the best cutters?

As regards bespoke, in general cutters are all employees of Savile Row houses and work just for them, on site.

But most tailors – coat makers, trouser makers etc – are actually freelance, they just happen to work most of the time for one house or another. This has been the practice in England for a while, and is very different to France or Italy.

So the answer to your question is no, you can’t just go straight to the tailors in Soho or anywhere else. They are not cutters and they don’t usually do private commissions – they just work for more than one house.

Hmm, I had an appalling experience with Hardy Amies once and will never set foot again, but I’ve not spotted anything that puts them in a markedly different segment to, say, Gieves. Is there something beneath the surface going on?

To give a similar example of what I mean, I personally rate Crockett & Jones solidly above Church’s, but would still place both in the same market.

Very interesting observation on the direction of “real” bespoke houses that are less Retail-oriented. The logic is all there: I can pick up Huntsman RTW for £2,200 and spend a few hundred having it tailored (by those independent tailors in Soho!) and still make a profit against the ~£3000 MTM offer. However, I reckon all three options taken together give them a broader consumer appeal without diluting the brand, cannibalising revenue or racking up operating costs. That will probably prove very attractive to those houses.

That would be my view, as someone less deeply involved with those businesses – perhaps I’ve been silly and missed something. There’s definitely division among the ranks of the bespoke-driven houses though. I saw horror in the eyes of an A&S staff member when I mentioned Richard Anderson and Huntsman do MTM!

Assuming that’s directed at me (while not wanting to hijack the thread) I’ve used Pinnas and Needles for alterations in the last few years. I haven’t found better. Actually having a suit made there at the moment (they have a Neapolitan/Sardinian cutter). Will be interesting to see how it turns out.

The problem I see with offering RTW and bespoke without MTM in the middle is that I *assume* (there are several assumptions here) it will reduce revenue. I assume that very few bespoke customers will trade down to MTM. I assume that many RTW customers at these houses are a few years away from trading up to bespoke, but would be able to go the extra ~£800 for MTM. I also assume there are a few customers who can’t afford Savile Row bespoke that would rather have MTM or bespoke from a less vaunted house than RTW from a Savile Row firm. On that basis, the only way for revenues to go is up and so Huntsman have it right from a financial standpoint. Of course, if the risk of trading down from bespoke to MTM is greater than I’ve guessed, then it’s as you say.

There’s a similar-but-different point in there about branding as well. I would think RTW+bespoke is much more likely to water down a brand than MTM+bespoke. I would say Huntsman’s RTW+MTM+bespoke setup is driving it in the direction of “suit house” faster than Richard Anderson’s MTM+bespoke approach.

This would merit a bit of further research, assuming(!) that it’s not been done before. Let’s pick a university business school to do it and convince the Savile Row Bespoke Association to fund it.